Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Waking to the sound of a soft knocking on his door, Vahn instinctually accelerated his thought processes in order to afford himself more time to think. When he detected who was on the other side of the door, a feeling of confusion washed over him before he noticed the murky yellow and subtle purples in the person's aura."Master...?""Vahn...?"Since the barrier on the door only allowed sound to go one way, Vahn didn't bother to shush the two girls flanking his sides. Instead, he caressed both of their heads, saying, "It seems someone has had a nightmare. I'm going to send you back to your rooms, okay?"Though Black Rabbit seemed somewhat reluctant, the other beauty at Vahn's side, Shirayukihime, immediately nodded her head, answering, "Understood. Would you like me to prepare some warm milk...?"Shaking his head, Vahn drew Hime closer so that he could plant a kiss between the two patterns on her forehead before saying, "Don't worry about it. This isn't my first rodeo."Nodding her head in affirmation, Hime allowed herself to be teleported away without a fuss. As for Black Rabbit, she was feeling marginally more uncertain, asking, "Isn't it time they learned about our relationship? I can help..."Meeting the concerned rabbit's gaze, Vahn could see the eagerness and sincerity in Black Rabbit's ruby-red eyes. Her maternal instincts had been steadily developing ever since they crossed the line several days prior. Thus, even if she knew it might cause problems, she felt compelled to, at the very least, offer her assistance.Returning a smile, Vahn hooked his hand around Black Rabbit's head, drawing her closer to plant a kiss on her forehead. Instead of sending her away, however, he maintained his smile as he teasingly mused, "You'll need to put on some clothes..."Blushing in response to Vahn's teasing, Black Rabbit half-heartedly pushed him away so she could search for her discarded panties and pajamas. Vahn could have made things easier by reminding her about the [REquip] system linked around her wrist. Instead, he let her fumble around in a panic as he rose to his feet and approached the door. He had taken the initiative to manipulate the flow of time within the room, so, despite hearing the knock more than a minute prior, less than a second had passed since then.With Black Rabbit finally recalling the existence of the extremely convenient accessory on her wrist, Vahn used a wide-range cleaning spell to remove the signs and smell of sex from the room before opening the door to reveal an anxious-looking Nono wearing a modest, vanilla-colored nightgown."Vahn...can I sleep with you...?"Returning a smile, Vahn gently caressed the young auburnette's head, asking, "Did you have a bad dream...?" in a soft tone of voice.Nodding her head, Nono was about to explain further when she noticed a flash of pink near Vahn's bed. Peeking around his body, she found Black Rabbit smiling back at her with a kind yet slightly flustered look on her face. This caused countless questions to appear within the young girl's mind, but, before she could voice her thoughts, Vahn gently guided her into the room, saying, "Come on. You can tell us all about it..."Though she had the distinct impression she had walked in on something she shouldn't have, Nono was too afraid to be alone right now. Vahn was synonymous with comfort and security in her heart, so, even if she was intruding on something she shouldn't, she still crawled into his bed without any discernible hesitation. What she didn't expect was for Black Rabbit to suddenly embrace her, a kind and loving smile on her face as she said, "It's going to be okay..." in a motherly tone.........Unsurprisingly, Nono had been dreaming about her parents and the treatment she had received during her stay with the Silver Adonis Community. This caused Vahn to feel more than a little guilty as Shiroyasha's persistence had caused him to seriously consider summoning Seraphina and Usalia.While there was nothing inherently wrong with wanting to summon the two demonesses, the crux of the matter was that Vahn hadn't even considered summoning Nono's parents. He had the power to make her the happiest girl in all of creation; yet, in spite of this, he had been prioritizing his own wants and needs over his promise...Waiting until the next morning, Vahn split off a second body to pay a visit to the Thousand Eyes Community. There, he found Shiroyasha waiting for him with her characteristically mischievous smile. She kept a close watch over everything he did, so, even without the ability to read his mind, she could easily intuit what he was thinking."Are you sure about this? I'm not going to tell you how to manage your Community but that girl's parents died even before she received an invitation to the Little Garden. Have you ever stopped to consider what role they will play in the future? What benefits-"Though he knew Shiroyasha was eerily similar to Loki, Vahn couldn't help interrupting when she mentioned 'benefits', stating, "I made a promise. The only thing I want for that girl is for her to be happy. Even if she never does anything for me in return, I couldn't care less. Some things are more important than an exchange of benefits..."Spreading her hands and shrugging in a lackadaisical gesture of helplessness, Shiroyasha mused, "If you say so." before manifesting two envelopes and explaining, "You'll find blank invitation letters in these envelopes. The Laws of the Little Garden prohibit new arrivals from summoning others before they have accrued merits but you should be able to get around that with Shirayukihime's assistance. Just make sure you make the invitation compelling. If you're trying to summon her parents during a time when they were still alive, that means they'll have a Nono of their own to look after. Good luck convincing a pair of loving parents to abandon their child~."Accepting the letters with a frown, Vahn asked, "Can't I just summon them around the time of their death?"Rolling her eyes, Shiroyasha explained, "Nono's parents died after their caravan was attacked by monsters. Do you really think their priority would be reading a mysterious envelope when they're fleeing for their lives or lying on the ground and bleeding out? It's actually a lot harder than you think to pick a suitable time and place to summon select individuals. Your best bet would be to target them before they even have Nono but that would kind of defeat the purpose, wouldn't it?"Though he didn't want to admit it, there was a considerable amount of truth contained within Shiroyasha's words. Not everyone wanted to explore other worlds. Rather, unless they were born in a modern setting or felt suffocated by normalcy, very few people would simply abandon everything in order to accept an invitation from someone they had never met. That was something only those who were confident in their strength or completely delusional could do...Shaking his head, Vahn placed the two envelopes into his Inventory before stating, "I'll just have to leave it to fate. So long as Nono is the one to send the invitations, I believe she'll be able to accept any outcome. I'll just need to talk with her and make sure she understands there's a chance things might not work out..."Snickering in response to Vahn's words, Shiroyasha adopted a teasingly seductive expression on her face as she mused, "And then you'll swoop in to heal her broken heart~?"Adopting an unamused deadpan, Vahn refused to dignify Shiroyasha's remark with words with a response. Instead, he shifted the topic, asking, "When am I supposed to meet with your friend from the South? It's already been a couple of days."Shrugging a second time, Shiroyasha explained, "I managed to reach out to them but they didn't believe me when I said you could help to solve their problems. They can be pretty obstinate so it might take a while for them to come around and accept external assistance."Since it was a good opportunity, Vahn asked, "What, exactly, did you want me to do for them? If it's nothing major, I might be able to prepare something without needing to meet with them directly."Pulling out her favorite fan, Shiroyasha pressed the tip to her chin, seemingly in deep thought. This only lasted for a moment, however, before a mischievous smile developed across her face. Then, in an ostensibly sly tone, she remarked, "That could work. Given that girl's prideful nature, she'll have no choice but to seek you out if you offer your assistance without asking for compensation. Not a bad plan."Understanding that Vahn wasn't in the mood to joke around, Shiroyasha punctuated her words by creating a three-dimensional projection of a rather regal-looking Gryphon before explaining, "This is Draco Grief, the current Floor Master of the South Side. He is also the Leader of the Draco Grief Alliance, a gathering of Communities comprised almost entirely of mythological creatures and their descendants."Nodding his head, Vahn scrutinized the image as it morphed from a Gryphon to a handsome and muscular man with sharp eyes, eagle-like wings, and a mane of golden hair. He wasn't surprised that a mythological creature in the Divine Realm would possess the ability to transform. What did surprise him was Shiroyasha stating, "Without outside intervention, Draco will most likely die within the next ten to fifteen years. He suffered a serious injury during his battle with the Tyrant Dragon of Poison, Nidhogg. The Communities comprising the Yggdrasil Faction have refused to lend their aid so it's only a matter of time before he succumbs."Blinking in surprise, Vahn asked, "He's the Floor Master of the South Side yet he lacks the means to acquire a cure...?"Rolling her eyes, Shiroyasha created a second projection, this one showing a winged dragon that resembled a decaying corpse as she explained, "Nidhogg isn't just any dragon. He is the beast that gnaws at the roots of the world tree, Yggdrasil. His poison is potent enough to leave entire worlds in ruin. Do you really think it could be cured so easily...?"As he actually had a fair amount of experience with Nidhogg's poison, Vahn surprised Shiroyasha by nodding his head and stating, "There are actually quite a number of cures. The simplest would be to draft a potion from the leaves of the world tree he gnaws upon. I'm guessing that's the first method they tried?"Nodding her head in affirmation, Shiroyasha snapped open her fan before explaining, "Odin can be remarkably petty at times. Unless the Draco Grief Alliance agrees to submit to the Yggdrasil Faction, he refuses to compromise. That old codger has been trying to install his own Floor Master for quite some time. This is the best opportunity he's had in centuries so he intends to seize as many benefits as possible before the Avalon Community regains their strength."Shaking his head, Vahn pulled out a dark-purple Gift Card before manifesting an ancient-looking potion bottle filled with glistening golden liquid."This is Mithridatum, a legendary cure-all developed by King Mithradates VI Eupator. I'm not sure if it will work against Nidhogg's poison, but the text on the card states it has the effect of neutralizing and providing immunity against all poisons. If this doesn't work, let me know. I also have a Panacea that is virtually guaranteed to work. It just requires me to manufacture it."Accepting the vial with a smile, Shiroyasha slipped it into her nonexistent cleavage before musing, "This is actually one of the options we were considering. I would say I'm surprised to learn you have it in your possession, but I'd be lying~."Shaking his head a second time, Vahn was preparing to return to his workshop when Shiroyasha suddenly grabbed his sleeve, a teasing smile on her face as she asked, "Where are you going? You just arrived a few minutes ago. Stop and stay awhile."Looking down at the petite demoness, Vahn considered refusing before recalling that he would need Shiroyasha's help in selecting an opportune time to summon Nono's parents. He didn't even know how the summoning process worked, so, after a very brief moment of hesitation, he returned a smile of his own and said, "Sure."......(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The missing lemon...','Not everyone is an Otaku...','Vahn has Gifts for days...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After spending the night with Vahn and Black Rabbit, Nono was feeling more listless than normal. It didn't bother her that Vahn and Black Rabbit were together. The thing that left her feeling confused was how peaceful she slept in Black Rabbit's arms. Even now, several hours after she had woken up, she could still feel their warmth lingering in her body...a warmth she hadn't experienced ever since her parents died..."Are you okay, Nono-chan? Does your stomach hurt...?""Hmm...?"Shifting her attention to the speaking, Nono found Lily staring at her with a concerned expression on her face. They had been spending a lot of time together ever since Vahn introduced them to the No Names. She really enjoyed looking after the children. If there was anything she could complain about, it was the mischievous nature of the younger boys. Quite a few of them had developed a bit of a crush on her, and, while she wasn't particularly experienced with love, Nono wasn't oblivious to their longing for affection."I'm fine...I was just thinking about something..."Adopting her characteristically kind smile, Lily left Nono feeling at a loss for words as she asked, "Is it Vahn?""..."Pointing towards her nose, Lily explained, "I have a very strong sense of smell and I memorize the scent of people I care about. It's faint, but I can smell Vahn's and Black Rabbit's scent on you. Did something happen? I'm here if you need to talk."After taking a moment to smell herself, Nono shook her head before explaining, "It's fine. Nothing bad happened. I was just feeling a little lonely..."With her expression softening, Lily put down the clothes she was washing before drying her hands and giving Nono a hug. This left the auburn-haired girl feeling bashful, but, having grown used to things like this, she didn't attempt to push Lily away. Instead, a faint blush spread across her face as she muttered, "Thank you..." in a sincere tone of voice..."No need. We're friends, after all. We look out for each other. Whenever you're feeling lonely, just let me know. I will always make time for you, okay?"Nodding her head in affirmation, a delicate smile developed across Nono's face as she intoned a meek yet gratified, "Nn..."......Though he was originally intending to discuss the matter of summoning her parents, Vahn changed his plans after spying on the rather heartwarming scene. His discussion with Shiroyasha had left him feeling doubtful, so, at least for the time being, he decided to let her spend more time with the No Names. He was hoping that the bonds she forged with people like Lily would help to alleviate some of the dejection she would undoubtedly experience if her parents refused the summons...Shaking that depressing thought from his mind, Vahn extended his non-existent hands to caress both girls' heads. They couldn't actually sense him, but, so long as he focused on emitting positive vibes, he could drastically improve the mood of others even if they couldn't perceive him. As for why he was walking around in a non-existent state, well, it was part of his training.Since the Divine Realm was the penultimate stop in his journey towards the absolute pinnacle of the Record, Vahn was focusing on the development of his more abstract qualities. One of his goals was reaching a similar level to the Law of Identity in terms of Acausality. He knew he would need to be able to influence the world around him in a way that even the most powerful beings in existence wouldn't be able to parse, so, while he was currently far from the level of Loi-chan, that didn't stop him from practicing.(*If you were an even bigger pervert, this would be a terrifying ability...*)("Do you really think I'm a pervert...?")Giggling from the deepest recesses of Vahn's mind, Sis took a moment to pass her gaze over the countless girls in the observation room before answering, (*Just a little...*)Exhaling a sigh, Vahn retracted his hands from Nono's and Lily's heads before taking a few steps in no particular direction. Ever since he had installed a barrier and accepted Jin as his apprentice, the No Names' territory was recognized as an extension of his own thanks to his Unit Management. As a result, he was able to move unbounded through space, and, so long as he made preparations in advance, time.In what most people would perceive as an instant, Vahn found himself standing behind Hime as she overlooked Jin's and Sarina's studies. This was one of the reasons Jin had already developed a crush on Sarina. The two spent hours in the library focusing on their studies. Sarina was pretty determined to learn both magic and alchemy, so, while Nono spent most of her time helping Lily look after the children, she took advantage of Jin's knowledge to help her study.Jin was, for lack of a more tactful phrase, a very passive boy. He was helpless against strong-willed girls, so, no matter how much it impeded his studies, he did his best to help Sarina. This allowed the two of them to grow steadily closer, as, unlike Lily, his childhood friend, Sarina was something fresh and new in the young boy's life.As counterintuitive as it might seem, too much familiarity was actually a burden when it came to starting a relationship. Jin had a crush on Lily but he was too afraid to confess for fear of ruining their sibling-like relationship. As for Lily, she viewed Jin as one of the many children she needed to take care of. She loved and adored him unlike another other but it hadn't even crossed her mind to view him as a potential partner.Fortunately, not all hope was lost for the teal-haired youth. Feelings could always change, and, so long as he could become someone dependable in their hearts, there was a chance he could end up with both Sarina and Lily. This was a route Vahn intended to support, so, while Jin did his best not to appear suspicious, Vahn waited until Sarina noticed the young boy's gaze before causing the surrounding temperature to increase ever so slightly."What is it? Is there something on my face...?"Startled by Sarina's sudden inquiry, a ruddy hue spread through Jin's cheeks as he answered, "No. I just..."Searching for excuses within his mind, Jin was surprised when he realized that he was a lot calmer than usual. His rapidly beating heart quickly returned to its natural rhythm, and, though it didn't go away completely, most of his anxiety seemed to vanish into thin air as he continued, adding, "I was staring at your ribbon. It matches your eyes..."Surprised by Jin's remark, Sarina blinked several times as her surroundings seemed to inexplicably heat up. This caused her to feel strangely nervous, her amethyst eyes shifting to Shirayukhime to innocently ask, "Is it getting hot in here, or am I just imagining things?""Hmmm?"Spreading her senses through the area, Hime noticed that the temperature around Sarina's body was, in fact, hotter than usual. Since it was similar to the heat radiating from her body, however, she didn't question it. Instead, she asked, "Would you like me to cool you off? We can also take a break. It has been quite some time since we started studying."Feeling uncharacteristically self-conscious, Sarina nodded her head before rising from her chair and saying, "I'm going to go get some ice cream..."Though she was briefly tempted to ask Jin if he wanted to come with her, Sarina scampered out of the Library without looking back. Hime had been assigned to watch over her, so, after bowing her head towards Jin, she quickly followed Sarina's path of departure. This left Jin alone in the library, his face glowing deep crimson as Sarina's vaguely suggestive words played over and over within his mind.........After triple-checking the barrier to make sure nothing was amiss, Vahn returned to his workshop feeling as though he had accomplished quite a bit. Then, as per usual, he spent the better part of half an hour ruminating over whether or not he should summon Fenrir. She was something of an exception, so, even if he summoned her to his side, none of the girls within his personalized Little Garden would complain. Rather, they would find it weirder if he didn't summon her...Shaking his head, Vahn decided to wait for a bit. He wasn't feeling particularly lonely and he didn't want Fenrir influencing Sarina, Nono, and the youths in the No Name Community to become good girls. Sure, he appreciated everything she did for him, but, when it came down to it, nearly a third of his harem could be attributed to Fenrir teaching susceptible women how to exploit his particular set of weaknesses.As that thought crossed his mind, Vahn manifested a crystalline hammer with the intent to forge a few accessories for Jin to gift out. Sarina's and Lily's birthdays were coming up in the next couple of months so he was intending to coach the young Magus until he could give them presents without self-destructing."Hmmm...he did draw attention to her ribbon. I could always make a new one. The real question is, what does Lily want? I can't imagine that girl asking for anything..."Though he had placed an embargo on using the Law of Identity to obtain 'unfair' knowledge, Vahn didn't mind making use of her for things like this. As a result, Loi-chan, appearing as a version of Lily in a school swimsuit, cheerfully answered, "The only things she seems to want are her mommy and for everyone in the No Names to be happy."Furrowing his brows, Vahn resisted the urge to ask about Lily's mother. He would undoubtedly look into it on his own but he would rather hear it from the girl herself. As for making the children of the No Name Community happy, well, that wasn't particularly difficult."I'll craft her some cooking tools. A knife that never dulls and an indestructible cooking board can go a long way. Maybe a new apron?"(*How about all of the above?*)Nodding his head in approval, Vahn was preparing to get to work when he noticed two envelopes sitting atop his luminescent golden anvil. These envelopes were identical to the ones Shiroyasha had given him previously. The only difference was that they had already been filled out. There was also a footnote from Shiroyasha, a chibi version of herself making a peace sign with the words, "Just in case you wanted to have some fun with a succubunny~"Shaking his head, Vahn placed the two invitation letters in his Inventory. He would probably make use of them at some point, but, at least for the time being, he already had his hands full with Black Rabbit. He had also managed to wrangle in Hime after an amorous encounter in the bath, so, while he was certainly interested in reuniting with Seraphina, he would rather things calm down before he made any rash decisions.........Seeing Vahn place the envelopes away, Shiroyasha muttered a playful, "Fooey..." before issuing a long, drawn-out yawn. This earned her a curious glance from Nadeshiko, who, as per usual, was cleaning the former's room with an impassive expression on her face.Feeling Nadeshiko's glance, Shiroyasha looked over her shoulder, a teasing smile on her face as she asked, "Hey, hey, Nadeshiko-chan. When was the last time we played together~?"Exhaling a tired sigh, Nadeshiko answered, "Please don't joke, Shiroyasha-sama. If you want to play around, please go and bother Vahn-sama."Adopting a pretend pout, Shiroyasha rolled onto her back, sprawling out as she groaned, "I would, but he gets butthurt when I interrupt his forging. As much as I enjoy the way my skin crawls when he glares at me, I'd rather avoid angering him..."Surprised by her Master's 'restraint', Nadeshiko briefly paused her sweeping to remark, "You must really think highly of him..."With her gaze firmly fixed on the ceiling, Shiroyasha appeared uncharacteristically listless as she answered, "Yeah...I think I might be in love..."Not expecting such an answer, Nadeshiko nearly tripped over her own broom. Her usually stoic face instantaneously became a caricature of disbelief as she nervously inquired, "Are you serious...?"Though she wasn't actually sure herself, Shiroyasha didn't hesitate to answer, "Nope~." in a teasing tone before rolling to the side and cackling as Nadeshiko attempted to hit her with the broom. All she knew for certain was that Vahn had a way of making her feel special. Whether or not this had anything to do with love, she had absolutely no idea.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Lily is too pure for this world...','Vahn be trolling...','Shiroyasha be like, "Vahn make me go brrrrrr..."')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

As much as he enjoyed watching Black Rabbit's ears bob up and down as she greedily sampled his 'carrot', it was well past the time when Vahn would normally meet up with Sarina and Nono. He had also promised Lily he would teach her how to barbeque various foods, so, after gently grabbing her left ear with his right hand, instantaneously stopping her movements, Vahn softly mused, "Now that we've crossed the line, we can do this as much as we want. However, we still have other duties and responsibilities. Too much indulgence leads to degeneracy. I don't particularly mind you becoming a lewd bunny, but the children would be sad if you neglected them..."Though she waited until Vahn had finished speaking, Black Rabbit ultimately released his penis from her mouth with a 'pop' before adopting an apologetically meek expression and answering, "Sorry...I guess I got a little too excited..."Shaking his head, Vahn caressed the side of Black Rabbit's face as he said, "There's no need for that. You've done nothing wrong. Rather, I feel like you've suddenly become even more amazing...I'm not sure I'll be able to hold myself back once night falls..."Offering a smile, Black Rabbit made her own intentions known by gently biting Vahn's thumb as it traced her lips. This was perhaps the only critique Vahn could give her, as, from start to finish, she had persistently bitten or nibbled parts of his body. He didn't particularly mind it, but it had startled her quite a bit when her teeth managed to pierce the lobes of his ears. After that, she tried to resist the almost instinctual urge, but, less than ten minutes later, she ended up nibbling the same exact ear...Seemingly incited by Vahn's words, Black Rabbit tightened her grip around his still erect member, a lustful look in her eyes as she answered, "I'm looking forward to it..." before giving his glans one last lick........."He's late..."Though it was only a few minutes past the time when Vahn would usually come to pick them up, Sarina had been feeling on edge ever since he introduced them to Shiryaukihime. The latter was one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen, and, based on the way she looked at Vahn and referred to him as 'Master', Sarina couldn't shake the feeling that something was going on between them..."Fret not, Sarina-sama. I'm certain Master will arrive soon. He is most likely dealing with Shiroyasha-sama. She can be...troublesome at times..."Shifting her attention to the buxom Water Goddess, Sarina's pout became more prominent as her eyes focused on the former's cleavage. This caused Hime to feel a little self-conscious, but, recalling Vahn's praise, she managed to appear calm and unflustered as she tolerated Sarina's piercing gaze."Sarina-chan. It isn't polite to stare. I know you're worried about Vahn. However, you shouldn't take it out on others."Hearing the childish yet motherly tone, a sigh escaped from Sarina's throat as she looked towards the voice's owner, Lily. She was sitting patiently alongside them with a ceramic teacup in her hands, a friendly, almost grandmotherly expression on her face as she returned a smile and asked, "Would you like something to drink? I'm using the tea leaves Vahn left behind. They're quite delicious."Though it had only been a week since their first meeting, Sarina had already accepted that Lily was simply 'too powerful' an opponent. Not only was she unbelievably cute, but, no matter how difficult their lessons were, she remained calm and poised. She also possessed strong maternal instincts and a mature temperament reminiscent of a kind and caring wife. Thus, even if she wanted to see Lily as a rival, Sarina knew she wasn't a match for the remarkably kind kitsune."No, but thank you..."Smiling even more radiantly, Lily made a similar offer to everyone else present before returning to her own tea with a content look on her face. This left Sarina feeling even more exasperated as she couldn't fathom how a girl three weeks her junior was able to behave in such a mature and elegant manner. If Lily didn't dress up in casual clothes and an apron, she could easily pass as a princess...As that thought crossed her mind, Sarina briefly considered asking Lily for advice when a familiar vibration reached her ears. At that exact same moment, Vahn appeared out of thin air with a pink-haired Black Rabbit at his side, saying, "Sorry for the delay. I was ironing out a few particulars with Shiroyasha. I'll be providing ice cream and cheesecake as compensation. Make sure you save some space after dinner."Since he had appeared right in front of her, Vahn took the initiative to caress Sarina's head before speaking. This abated the majority of her frustrations, a smile developing across her face as she excitedly exclaimed, "Ice cream and cheesecake!? I've always wanted to try them~!"Like most children her age, Sarina's wayward thoughts vanished the moment she heard a promise of sweets. Vahn found this particularly adorable, so, while it earned him a disapproving stare from Lily, he pulled out a cone of cheesecake ice cream, winking as he said, "Don't let the other children catch you."With visible sparkles in her eyes, Sarina accepted the cone of ice cream with an enthusiastic smile, exclaiming, "Thank you, Vahn~!" before happily lapping up the impossibly sweet treat. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced, and, were it not for the fact she had also known Lily's gaze, she might have considered asking for seconds."Vahn-sama...you'll spoil her appetite..."Scratching the back of his head, Vahn adopted a wry smile as Lily continued staring at him with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. She wasn't angry, but, much like a parent that had just caught their child performing mischief, her emerald green eyes possessed a certain judgmental quality that compelled guilt.Fortunately, Lily was remarkably adept at reading the atmosphere, so, the moment things started to feel awkward, she immediately regained her characteristically soothing smile, suggesting, "Shall we move to the kitchen? I told the children we would be eating something special tonight so I'm really looking forward to what you'll teach us~."Responding with a light-hearted chuckle, Vahn took advantage of the fact that Lily had risen to her feet to caress her head as he answered, "Now I'm feeling even more motivated than before. Guess I'll have to pull out something truly special for tonight's lesson."Supplying a chuckle of her own, Lily's tails began to waggle slightly as she mused, "I suppose so." in a calm yet audibly expectant tone of voice.........After teaching most of the senior group how to braise and grill the meat of a mythological chicken known as a Basan, Vahn helped prepare food for the entire No Name Community before placing a number of self-serve ice cream stations around the restored banquet hall. It was adorable watching some of the children lament the fact they had eaten a little too much during dinner.Fortunately for the children, Vahn promised to leave the ice cream stations until noon the next day so long as they promised not to quarrel over them. This earned him quite a bit of fanfare from the children, who, over the past week, had come to view him as something of a Patron God after Black Rabbit spilled the beans regarding his status.Though the 'revelation' had caused Jin a bit of a headache, the teal-haired youth didn't blame Vahn for the mishap. Rather, after gaining access to some of the grimoires Vahn had transcribed for him, it was difficult for Jin not to view him in a similar light.While magic was relatively common within the Divine Realm, knowledge related to it was both rare and valuable. The Little Garden didn't possess anything even remotely resembling a school system, so, unless you were born in a Community that emphasized the importance of education, you might not even have the chance to learn anything more than basic arithmetic. As a result, even elementary level magical grimoires would sell for a substantial amount, and, unless you had an alliance with the Community printing it, the odds of them actually selling it to you were slim.The grimoires Vahn provided were so far beyond the basics that Jin had barely been able to control his trembling the first time he held one. They were the type of grimoires that, once mastered, would provide a substantial increase to the reader's capacity as a Magus. Thus, once he learned that Vahn was willing to share the knowledge contained within countless grimoires, how else could Jin regard him if not a Patron God? A Teacher? A Master? He was much more than either of those things..."What are you thinking about, brat...?"Hearing Vahn's words, Jin looked up from the ancient-looking grimoire spread out before him, a fatigued yet eager look in his eyes as he casually answered, "I was just thinking about how amazing you are to have memorized tens of millions of grimoires. I feel like I could spend the next ten years studying this one and I would still be learning something new each day..."Shaking his head, Vahn ruffled Jin's already messy hair before saying, "Theoretical knowledge will only take you so far. I'm just lending you this grimoire so that you have an idea of what the future might hold. Once we start our actual training, I'll demonstrate the path to becoming an Archmage without needing to worry about things like this. You might not be able to imagine it now, but, once you exceed a certain level, the only things you need to actualize virtually any spell are imagination, authority, and control."In an effort to prove his point, Vahn placed a seed of Source Energy into Jin's body, smiling as he said, "Go ahead and give it a try. I've granted you a bit of my power. All you need to do is imagine something you want and it should appear right in front of you.""Something I want...?"Nodding his head, Vahn placed his hands on Jin's shoulders, his already velvety voice taking on a somewhat resonant tone as he said, "The power I've lent you can only summon things within the vicinity of the No Names' territory. As for what-"Before Vahn could finish speaking, both he and Jin were surprised when Sarina suddenly appeared out of thin air, a befuddled look on her face as the ice cream atop her cone plopped to the ground."Vahn? What just happened...?"Using the grimoire in front of him, Jin concealed his beet-red face as an amused chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat. At the same time, a green glow appeared around Sarina's cone as the scoop of ice cream on the ground promptly returned to its place. This served as an ample distraction for the young girl, her eyes widening as she exclaimed, "Whoa...!"Gesturing with his right hand, Vahn cast a basic obscuration spell on Jin's body to drastically reduce his presence. Even a beast person with extraordinary perception wouldn't be able to detect him, so, as far as Sarina was concerned, he might as well not even exist in the present moment.Taking advantage of this, Vahn earned an embarrassed groan from Jin as he casually asked, "Sarina. What do you think of Jin...?"Though she was a little surprised by the sudden question, Sarina didn't have to consider her answer, saying, "He's a little girly right now but I feel like he could become a dependable guy if he stopped studying and actually did something. Why do you ask?"Shaking his head, Vahn maintained his smile as he answered, "No reason. I was just curious to know what you thought. After all, you are the Sub-Leader of my Community. Is it wrong for me to ask for your opinion~?"Starling in response to Vahn's words, Sarina nearly crushed the cone in her hands as she exclaimed, "Of course not! If it's you, I don't mind answering all kinds of questions!"Using a sound-nullifying spell to prevent Jin from hearing the latter half of Sarina's statement, a wry smile developed across Vahn's face as he said, "I'm going to transfer you back now. Thanks for your help, Sarina. I really appreciate it."Since she didn't want to get in the way of whatever Vahn was doing, Sarina nodded her head with a happy smile on her face. She was delighted to be able to help even if it was just to answer a single question. The last week had been a little rough as she felt like she hadn't been able to contribute anything to their Community. This made her feel a lot better, so, without even questioning why he would call her to the library, Sarina maintained a smile even as Vahn teleported her away.With Sarina returned to whence she came, Vahn returned his attention to Jin, a massive grin on his face as he asked, "Mind telling me what that was about...?"Without any hesitation whatsoever, Jin replied, "I would rather not..." while burying his face further into the grimoire.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Rabbits are known to nibble when they're horny (O w O)...','Lily could give Senko-san a run for her money...','RIP Jin xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 2072: Promises and Priorities